Getting Back into the Swing of Things - Grad School Style!
We all know the feeling小蝌蚪APP攚hen the glorious days of summer are ending, and the school year looms like a big Titanic made of books that demand reading.
Don小蝌蚪APP檛 get weighed down by the impending avalanche of research papers and scholarly reviews. Use these tips to thrive in grad school by easing back into 小蝌蚪APP渟chool mode小蝌蚪APP with less stress.
Adjust Your Schedule
As summer fades into the past, so does the luxury of sleeping in and staying up to all hours (voluntarily). To avoid hitting a brick wall when the semester schedule hits, trick your body by adjusting your schedule a few weeks before the semester starts. Resist the urge to let your favorite show autoplay, and get up around 小蝌蚪APP渃lass time.小蝌蚪APP Use that morning time to enjoy a good breakfast and finish that novel. When the school schedule hits for real, you小蝌蚪APP檒l be adjusted and ready to go!
Get Organized
Be prepared 小蝌蚪APP that's one of the best tips for grad school. If you have your class schedule, start thinking through how each week may look with class, work, extracurriculars, etc. now. Download a planning app like and get your proverbial ducks in a row. Get ready for note-taking in . Set up a team space in for group projects. You小蝌蚪APP檒l be an organizational wizard, and you and your fellow grad students will all benefit.
It Takes A Village
Speaking of your colleagues, preparing your support system ahead of time makes a huge difference. Grad school usually means smaller classes and tight-knit groups, so ask around to plan how you小蝌蚪APP檒l help each other start off the semester strong. Study groups, research buddies, and 小蝌蚪APP渢ime-to-go-grab-coffee小蝌蚪APP jaunts will help you get back in motion without burning out. Plan getaways and breaks with those friends, and keep those plans小蝌蚪APP攜ou小蝌蚪APP檒l need them to thrive.
It小蝌蚪APP檚 Okay to Say 小蝌蚪APP淣o小蝌蚪APP
When it comes to extracurriculars, it小蝌蚪APP檚 easy to take on too much. You小蝌蚪APP檙e in grad school to learn, and those outside-of-class opportunities are part of it. Just remember that they小蝌蚪APP檙e not your No. 1 priority. You don小蝌蚪APP檛 have to say 小蝌蚪APP測es小蝌蚪APP to everyone that wants a slice of your time, even for good causes. Getting involved with projects outside of school is fine, but keep your end goal in mind. That graduate degree is yours to seize, so it小蝌蚪APP檚 okay to have tunnel vision now and then.
Treat Your Body Right
Don小蝌蚪APP檛 wait until the semester workload gets heavy to start that exercise plan. Time is definitely scarce in grad school, but don小蝌蚪APP檛 dismiss the important benefits you小蝌蚪APP檒l get from staying physically active. Choose activities that work for you and your schedule. Ride your bike to class instead of driving. Go for a run during lunch. Hit the gym after hitting the books. Research shows that , and what grad student doesn小蝌蚪APP檛 want better memory?
Set Small, Achievable Goals
There小蝌蚪APP檚 a little bird called the Arctic tern that migrates an average of 44,000 miles every year, from the Arctic to the Antarctic and back every year. Does this bird think of all the miles left to go, and say, 小蝌蚪APP淚 just don小蝌蚪APP檛 think I小蝌蚪APP檒l make it this year小蝌蚪APP? No! They just go a few hundred miles per day (piece of cake for this avian marathoner) and before they know it, they小蝌蚪APP檝e reached their goal.
Realistic goal-setting is a key tip for grad school students as well. Don小蝌蚪APP檛 worry about that massive syllabus or comps or thesis or dissertation or 小蝌蚪APP the list goes on and on. Just focus on your next goal, and you小蝌蚪APP檒l be there in no time.
You小蝌蚪APP檝e got this! By following these top tips to thrive in grad school, you小蝌蚪APP檒l avoid burnout and crush your goals for the next semester and beyond.
